1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chronograph time piece, particularly to a chronograph time piece for measuring xe2x80x9chourxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cminutexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csecondxe2x80x9d and displaying respective results of measurement by a chronograph hour hand, a chronograph minute hand and a chronograph second hand.
2. Background Information
In reference to FIG. 32, according to a conventional chronograph time piece, a barrel complete 110 rotates a front wheel train 312. A mainspring (not illustrated) is arranged in the barrel complete 110 and constitutes a power source of the chronograph time piece. A barrel pinion 912 is attached to the barrel complete 110 via a barrel complete slip mechanism 910. An hour counter intermediate wheel 914 is integrated to rotate by rotation of the barrel pinion 912. An hour counting gear 916 is integrated to rotate by rotation of the hour counter intermediate wheel 914. An hour counting wheel stem 920 is attached to the hour counting gear 916 via an hour counting slip mechanism 918 and by a chronograph hour hand 128 attached to the hour counting wheel stem 920, there is displayed a result of measurement of an elapse time period of xe2x80x9chourxe2x80x9d such as an elapse of 1 hour.
A second counting train wheel 316 is integrated to rotate by rotation of the front train wheel 312. A second counting wheel stem 934 is connected to the second counting train wheel 316 via a second counting slip mechanism 932. By a chronograph second hand 118 attached to the second counting wheel stem 934, there is displayed a result of measurement of an elapse time period of xe2x80x9csecondxe2x80x9d such as an elapse of 1 second.
A minute counting wheel train 940 is integrated to rotate by rotation of the second counting wheel train 316. A minute counting wheel stem 944 is connected to the minute counting wheel train 940 via a minute counting slip mechanism 942. By a chronograph minute hand 124 attached to the minute counting stem 944, there is displayed a result of measurement of an elapse time period of xe2x80x9cminutexe2x80x9d such as an elapse of 1 minute. Transmission of rotation from the second counting wheel train 316 to the minute counting wheel train 322 is constituted to carry out via a pivoting wheel (not illustrated).
According to such a conventional chronograph time piece, the hour counting slip mechanism 918, the second counting slip mechanism 932 and the minute counting slip mechanism 942 are constituted to include clutch springs. Further, by operating the clutch springs, operation of the counting wheel trains is constituted to control.
Further, according to the conventional chronograph time piece, in pushing a button for starting/stopping the chronograph time piece, there is used an operating lever operated by the button. Further, a line spring is used for positioning the operating lever and by bending a portion of the operating lever, the line spring is hooked to the bent portion.
In zeroing the chronograph hands by pushing a reset button, a hammer is operated by a plate spring.
Further, according to the conventional chronograph time piece, there is provided a cam subjected to operation of a yoke for controlling to start and stop operation and zeroing of the chronograph and the cam is constituted to control various functions of the chronograph.
For example, there is disclosed a constitution of a conventional chronograph in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9463/1975 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9464/1975.
However, the conventional chronograph timepiece has the following problems:
(1) In integrating a chronograph time piece, a mechanism constituting the chronograph time piece must be adjusted finely.
(2) An hour counting slip mechanism, a second counting slip mechanism and a minute counting slip mechanism are constituted to include clutch springs and therefore, a number of parts constituting the counting mechanisms is large and structure of the time piece is complicated.
(3) Further, the mechanisms including the clutch springs are used and accordingly, a thickness of the time piece is thickened by a thickness of the springs.
In order to resolve such conventional problems, objects of the present invention reside in the following points.
(1) To provide a chronograph time piece capable of being integrated easily with no need of adjusting parts constituting counting mechanisms when integrating the chronograph time piece.
(2) To provide a chronograph time piece having a small number of parts constituting counting mechanisms.
(3) To provide a chronograph time piece in which counting mechanisms are operated with certainty.
(4) To realize a small-sized and thin chronograph time piece by thinly constituting counting train wheels.
In order to resolve the above-described problems, a chronograph time piece according to the invention is provided with a front train wheel rotating based on rotation of a barrel complete and a second counter intermediate wheel rotating based on rotation of the front wheel train. In a chronograph measurement mode, a second counting wheel rotates based on rotation of the second counter intermediate wheel and a chronograph second display member displays a result of measurement of an elapse time period of second. A minute counting train wheel rotates based on rotation of the second counting wheel and a chronograph minute display member displays a result of measurement of an elapse time period of minute.
The chronograph time piece according to the invention includes at least one hour counting train wheel provided to rotate based on rotation of the barrel complete in the chronograph measurement mode and a chronograph hour display member for displaying a result of measurement of an elapse time period of hour based on rotation of the hour counting train wheels.
By constituting in this way, a number of parts of the chronograph time piece can be reduced and the second counting wheel, the minute counting train wheel and the hour counting train wheel can be operated efficiently.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention that the hour counting train wheels include an hour counting slip mechanism constituted such that one of train wheels constituting the hour counting train wheels can slip relative to other one thereof.
Further, the hour counting train wheels of the chronograph time piece according to the invention include a first hour counting train wheel rotating based on rotation of the barrel complete. It is preferable to include a second hour counting train wheel rotating based on rotation of the first hour counting train wheel in the chronograph measurement mode, and an hour counting slip mechanism constituted such that when chronograph measurement is not executed, rotation of the first hour counting train wheel is not transmitted to the second hour counting train wheel and in the chronograph measurement mode, the rotation of the first hour counting train wheel is transmitted to the second hour counting train wheel.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention to include a center wheel and pinion provided to rotate based on the rotation of the barrel complete, a third wheel and pinion provided to rotate based on rotation of the center wheel and pinion, a second wheel provided to rotate based on rotation of the third wheel and pinion, a second display member rotating based on rotation of the second wheel for displaying second, a minute transmission pinion provided to rotate based on the rotation of the center wheel and pinion, a minute drive wheel provided to rotate based on rotation of the minute transmission pinion, a minute display member rotating based on rotation of the minute drive wheel for displaying minute, an hour wheel provided to rotate based on the rotation of the minute transmission pinion, and an hour display member rotating based on rotation of the hour wheel for displaying hour.
Further, according to the invention, there is provided a chronograph time piece characterized in that in a chronograph time piece capable of measuring elapse time periods of second, minute and hour in a chronograph measurement mode, said chronograph time piece comprising a main plate constituting a base plate of the chronograph time piece, a second counting wheel for measuring the elapse time period of second based on rotation of a barrel complete in the chronograph measurement mode, a minute counting train wheel for measuring the elapse time period of minute based on the rotation of the barrel complete in the chronograph measurement mode, hour counting train wheels for measuring the elapse time period of hour based on the rotation of the barrel complete in the chronograph measurement mode, a chronograph second display member for displaying a result of measurement of the elapse time period of second by rotating the second counting wheel, a chronograph minute display member for displaying a result of measurement of the elapse time period of minute by rotating the minute counting train wheel, a chronograph hour display member for displaying a result of measurement of the elapse time period of hour by rotating the hour counting wheel, second and minute counting coupling means for starting or stopping operation of the chronograph second display member and the chronograph minute display member, and hour counting coupling means for starting or stopping operation of the chronograph hour display member.
By constituting in this way, operation of start and stop of chronograph measurement of the chronograph time piece can be executed with certainty.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention to include chronograph second and minute zeroing means provided on a front side of the main plate for simultaneously returning the chronograph second display member and the chronograph minute display member to zero, and chronograph hour zeroing means provided on a back side of the main plate for returning the chronograph hour display member to zero.
By constituting in this way, operation of zeroing the chronograph second hand, the chronograph minute hand and the chronograph hour hand of the chronograph time piece can be executed with certainty and swiftly.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention that a rotational center of the chronograph second display member is arranged substantially at a center of the chronograph time piece, wherein a rotational center of the chronograph hour display member is arranged on a straight line connecting the center of the chronograph time piece and a 6 o""clock indicator of a dial or a vicinity thereof, and wherein a rotational center of the chronograph minute display member is arranged on a straight line connecting the center of the chronograph time piece and a 12 o""clock indicator of the dial or a vicinity thereof.
By constituting in this way, there can be provided the chronograph time piece which is small-sized, thin and easy to see.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention that a second display member for displaying second, a rotational center of the second display member is arranged on a straight line connecting the center of the chronograph time piece and a 9 o""clock indicator of the dial.
By constituting in this way, there can be provided the chronograph time piece capable of executing second display which is easy to see.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention that a button for operating the second and minute counting coupling means and the hour counting coupling means is arranged substantially in a 2 o""clock direction of the chronograph time piece.
Further, it is preferable according to the chronograph time piece of the invention that a button for operating the chronograph second and minute zeroing means and the chronograph hour zeroing means is arranged substantially in a 4 o""clock direction of the chronograph time piece.
By constituting this way, operation of start and stop of the chronograph time piece is facilitated, further, outlook design of the chronograph time piece is improved.
Further, it is preferable that the hour counting train wheels include an hour counting transmission wheel (A) rotating based on the rotation of the barrel complete, an hour counting transmission wheel (C) rotating based on rotation of the hour counting transmission wheel (A), an hour counting transmission wheel (B) cooperating with the hour counting transmission wheel (C) via a slip mechanism, an hour counting wheel rotating based on rotation of the hour counting transmission wheel (B) in the chronograph measurement mode, and the chronograph hour display member rotating based on rotation of the hour counting wheel for displaying the result of measurement of the elapse time period of hour in the chronograph measurement mode.
By constituting in this way, the hour counting train wheel can be made small-sized and thin.
Further, it is preferable in the chronograph time piece of the invention that the second counting wheel includes a minute driving finger for intermittently rotating the minute counting train wheel and the minute counting train wheel includes a minute counter intermediate wheel rotated by the minute driving finger, and a minute counting wheel rotating based on rotation of the minute counter intermediate wheel.
By constituting in this way, the minute counting train wheel can be made small-sized and thin.